Memorial Day 2008

Memorial Day 2008

Today take a moment and say a prayer for our Courageous Soldiers and their families. Remember the sacrifices they have made and be thankful for their continued efforts to keep the citizens of this country and other countries free to live and safe from tyranny.

Consider giving to the Semper Fi (http://www.semperfifund.org/) fund and go read about the story of Iraq through the eyes of our Soldiers by reading The Moment of Truth in Iraq by Michael Yon.

“Today, though that moment is not yet surely gained, it remains within our grasp as long as we are true to ourselves. For it is our values that can win this war, for us and for the Iraqi people, just as betraying those values very nearly lost it.”

….

“LTC Kurilla’s soldiers relate an incident that occurred before I arrived in April 2005, when he or his guys killed an enemy one day, and the dead guy’s cell phone rang. Kurilla’s interpreter answered it. It was the dead guy’s brother. The story goes that Kurilla said through the interpreter that he was the American commander, adding, “I just killed your brother and am coming to kill you!”

Michael Yon, Moment of Truth in Iraq http://www.michaelyon-online.com/

And FYI, “Congress this week found time to honor a college basketball team, Arnold Palmer, and Frank Sinatra…but then went home for a two-week vacation without funding American troops in combat, putting even the paychecks of our soldiers in jeopardy.” Freedomswatch.org

Think about that when you vote this year.

The Journey Update

We have a few special things going on this week.

START READING JOSHUA TODAY. The STORYLINE CHALLENGE begins anew today as we begin the book of Joshua. If you have been reading with us since January you will have already finished Genesis, Exodus and Numbers. If you have not yet joined us, but you want to get into the habit of reading the Bible and you want to understand it better, now is the time! Just read one chapter a day. That’s it!

All that means is deciding right now to set aside about 5 minutes every day to read your Bible. Start with Joshua chapter one today. They read chapter two tomorrow, and so on. Also, join us for FUEL tonight (7pm) and we will be talking about the book of Joshua and what to expect as you read through it.

INDIANA JONES AND THE JOURNEY MARATHON. See all four Indiana Jones adventures this Memorial Monday, May 26. Raiders of the Lost Ark starts at 10am at the Candelaria residence in Redlands. Bring $3 for lunchtime pizza. After Temple of Doom and Last Crusade we’re having a BBQ dinner (on us) and then heading off to Krikorian in Redlands for the 7pm showing of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Get your tickets now through the box office or movietickets.com.

NOTE: This means NO SMALL GROUPS this MONDAY.

THE CASE FOR CHRIST—LIVE! See the author of The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel, in person at Biola University as he tells the story of how the evidence for the truth of the gospel led him to faith in Christ. Plus, everyone gets a FREE DVD of The Case for Christ—The Film. Also speaking will be Mike Erre and J. P. Moreland. Meet at Centerpoint to carpool at 5:45pm on Tuesday, May 27. We’ll be back by 11pm.

A Formula for Financial Freedom (6 of 6)

FORMULA FOR FINANCIAL FREEDOM – BUDGET WORKSHEET


GENEROSITY = GROSS – (Tithe + Tax + Thrift + Tally + Treat)


GROSS (wages + tips + allowance + gifts + etc.) = __________
TAXES = __________


NET 1 – “Take home pay” – available to spend after taxes (GROSS – TAXES) = __________


TITHE – percentage devoted to God (GROSS x .10) = __________
THRIFT/D.I.P.S – percentage set aside for a thriving future (GROSS x .10) = __________

• DEBT REPAYMENT (THRIFT/4) = __________
• INVESTMENT SAVINGS (THRIFT/4) = __________
• PURCHASES (THRIFT/4) = __________
• SAVINGS (THRIFT/4) = __________

NET 2 – Available to spend on TALLY, TREAT & GENEROSITY (NET 1 – (TITHE + DIPS)) = __________

TALLY – every dollar spent on bills and expenses during the month = __________

• Housing (Rent/Mortgage + Renter’s/Homeowners Insurance) = __________
• Utilities (electricity + gas + water + trash + phone + cable + internet + cell) = __________
• Food (groceries + eating out) = __________
• Car (payment +insurance + gas + maintenance/repairs) = __________
• Health (medical/dental/vision/life insurance +prescription + co-pays + gym membership) = __________
• Personal (hair care + childcare + child support +etc.) = __________
• Household (laundry + household supplies + misc.) = __________
• Education (tuition +fees +parking + books +lab) = __________
• Debts (credit cards + student loans + etc.) = __________
  

NET 3 – available to spend on TREAT and GENEROSITY (NET2 –TALLY) = __________

TREAT – desired to spend on personal enjoyment = __________

• Clothing = __________
• Beauty (nails + etc.) = __________
• Entertainment (movies + gaming + theatre + concert + etc.) = __________

GENEROSITY – available to give to others (NET3 – TREAT) = __________

• Gifts (birthdays + holidays + special occasions) = __________
• Charitable Giving (ministries + missions + organizations) = __________

A Formula for Financial Freedom (5 of 6)

Here is the budget at a glance...

GENEROSITY = GROSS – (Tithe + Tax + Thrift + Tally + Treat)

Gross = all the money earned before taxes are taken out.

Tithe = 10% of gross income OR 10% of net income and tax refund

Tax = all federal and state income tax, social security and medicare withholdings

Thrift = 1-20% (match percentage of tithe or adjust as needed) of gross paid to D.I.P.S.

• Debts = ¼ thrift goes toward paying off smallest debt first (in addition to minimum payment)
  
• Investments = ¼ Thrift goes toward building an investment fund for 401k, mutual funds, stocks, and/or bonds.
  
• Purchases = ¼ of the Thrift fund goes toward saving up for bigger purchases.
  
• Savings = ¼ of the Thrift fund goes toward saving for emergencies.
  

Tally = the total monthly amount of money paid toward bills and expenses


Treat = money spent for personal enjoyment

Generosity = amount of money left over to be a blessing to others


“A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.” – John Maxell


Tomorrow, in the final installment of this series, I will be posting a worksheet to help you calculate you personal budget.

A Formula for Financial Freedom (4 of 6)

Tally is the total monthly amount of money paid toward bills and expenses. This is where all our money disappears. As Proverbs 23:5 so aptly observes, “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” Again in Proverbs 22:7, we are told that, “the borrower is slave to the lender.” We have to pay our bills. But here’s the beauty of this budget. All you have to do is make minimum payments and let your DIPS accelerate your financial freedom.

This is also where you have to do a little acting. If you pretend to be rich now, and live like you can afford anything, then you will soon end up with nothing. But if you pretend to be poor now, you will eventually be able to afford anything you need (see Proverbs 13:7). So ask yourself some important questions. What unnecessary payments are you making? Where can you cut back? Learn to discern the difference between a need and a desire. For instance, you need clothes; you do not need designer brands. You need food; you do not need to frequent your favorite steak house.

The hardest part is learning discipline. For example, in order to keep our spending under control, Cristina and I give ourselves a cash allowance to spend on eating out and entertainment every two weeks. Once that cash is spent, we cannot withdraw any more money. And we absolutely may not use a debit or credit card. This has helped us to rein in our impulse spending and splurging.

Treat is the money you can spend for personal enjoyment. That is, if you have any money left over after paying God (tithe), your future (thrift) and your bills (tally), feel free to spend a little on yourself. You don’t have to feel guilty because God gives you money to enjoy. But remember any money you spend on yourself cannot be used to help others, which is your goal.

Generosity is the amount of money you have left over to be a blessing to others. You may use this for gifts for birthdays, holidays, weddings or special occasions. Or you can give to ministries that bless you (besides your church), missionaries, or other organizations you believe in. In particular, I suggest you should consider the poor (see Proverbs 14:31; 21:13; 19:17; 22:9).

When it comes down to it, budgeting takes discipline. And this may or may not be the best budget for you. You may have to tweak it here and there. But I believe everyone would benefit by considering the two G’s, the five T’s and the DIPS.

The main thing is to choose a budget and use it! Decide where every dollar you make will go before the month begins. And follow your plan. You may not get it down the first month, the second month, or even the third month. But keep at it and you will experience the pleasant peace that comes with financial freedom.

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” - Hebrews 12:11

So, wherever you are on your financial journey, take the next step: budget. Do it this week!

Tomorrow, I will post a basic outline that recaps the last few posts in a quick and simple format.

A Formula for Financial Freedom (3 of 6)

Thrift is 1-20% of your gross that you pay to debts, investments, purchases and savings (DIPS). It should be the second thing you do in budgeting—that is, pay toward your future. Thrift is what you do to make your money work for you. It is the pivot point of financial freedom. “Thrift” comes from the word “thrive.” And you will thrive financially if you follow this simple step based on the principle that, “whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow” (Proverbs 13:11). Ideally, setting aside 20% would be of the most benefit, which means 5% of your gross would go into each of the DIPS categories. Realistically, you may have to start small, depending on your current debt and expenses. I suggest paying at least as much to thrift as you do to tithe. Keep in mind, that the more you pay toward thrift the faster you will achieve financial freedom.

Debts is ¼ of what you set aside in thrift that goes toward paying off your smallest debt first (in addition to your minimum payments). Again in Romans 13:7-8, it says, “Give to everyone what you owe . . . if revenue, then revenue . . . Let no debt remain outstanding,”

Investments is ¼ of what you set aside in thrift that goes toward building investments, such as a 401k, mutual funds, stocks, and/or bonds and the like. Investment is a calculated risk—using a portion of your money to make money. You should seek professional advice when making investment decisions. But here is one tip from Ecclesiastes 11:2: “Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.” In other words, don’t put all your money in one place. What if you invest only in Starbucks, and it turns out Coffee Bean puts them out of business?

Purchases is ¼ of what you set aside in the thrift fund that goes toward saving up for bigger purchases (besides regular household necessities and living expenses). Make a list of all the things that aren’t in your monthly budget and prioritize them. Figure out how much each item on the list costs. When you have saved up enough money, buy it. If you don’t have the money yet, wait to buy it. Do not finance it!

Savings is ¼ of what you set aside in the thrift fund that goes toward saving for emergencies. Proverbs 10:15 warns, “the wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.” Life doesn’t always happen according to plan. It we don’t have a financial cushion, it could be our ruin.

Because of this, I suggest that, before you even start setting aside money in thrift (DIPS), start by devoting all of your thrift funds to savings until you have at least a $500 cushion ($1000 is better). Hopefully, this takes less than six months. After you have reached this first goal of putting away $500-$1000 in savings, you can start paying your thrift money into all four categories of the DIPS. You’ll already have at least $500 at the start; now you’re just building up your financial firewalls.

The big question will be how you keep track of your DIPS—by ledger or accounts? I personally do not have the discipline to leave my DIPS alone if the money is in my checking account with all the rest. So I have set up four accounts at two banks. At one bank we have a checking account for debts and a savings account for investments. We also have savings account for savings and checking account for purchases at another bank. All our income first goes into my main account (which I use for debts and all other expenses) from which I transfer the money online to my other accounts as needed.

Think about how you want to keep track of your thrift money, on paper of by using separate accounts. Make a goal for yourself to decide and have your system set up by the time you have your initial $500-1,000 saved up.

Who am I?

After hearing Pastor Shawn's message on Friday, and seeing the video that Andre made with Potter and Jason, I had to ask myself this question: Who am I? I was no more clear about myself, than I had been before. I know who I would like to be, and I know what I would like to do with my life, but have no idea what I am supposed to be doing right now. So I asked myself these questions:
What is my purpose here on earth?
What is expected of me?
Why am I even here?
Why do I have the friends that I have?

I sat down and began wondering if I was truly being myself. I wondered if I was trying to be somebody I wasn't. I had spent so much of my life trying to fit in with different crowds, that I began to wonder if I had compromised myself. I doubted if I even knew who the real me is. Was I just wearing a mask, and playing a role? Did I spend more time trying to please others, rather than myself (or God) ? Once I finally convinced myself that I always do my best to be true to myself, and always try to honor God, I began to ask a different set of questions:
Am I identified by my parents?
Am I identified by my husband?
Am I identified by my friends?
Am I identified by my job (or whether I have one or not)?
Am I identified by my education?

I had to seriously figure out what makes me, me. After several hours of prayer and self-reflection, I've decided that I am my own person, but every aspect of my life (family, friends, church, work, school) has molded me into who I am today. If it weren't for all of those factors, I would be a completely different person. (I don't think I would have liked the other me.) This revelation led to a whole other set of questions:
Am I the best person I can be?
What can I improve about myself?
How can I continue to help others?
Can I truly make a difference in other people's lives?
Am I putting other's needs before my own?
Why was I chosen for this particular ministry?
How can I serve God better?

Unfortunately, I don't have the answers to these questions yet. I'm still in the process of figuring them out. Everyday, I learn something new about myself, and how I can benefit others. I pray to God for guidance, strength, and perseverance. Only God knows the person I will become. Everyday, He reveals to me more and more. Everything will be given to me one step at a time. He will not reveal more than I need. I may not be able to see the entire path, but I know that as long as I continue to have faith in God, I will become the person He wants me to.

The Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian

oIf anyone is interested next Saturday in seeing The Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian I can get discount tickets from work for the Krikorian in Redlands. There is a showing at 3:35pm Saturday May 17th that Wanda, Wesley, and myself are planning on attending. I need money before friday so I can purchase the tickets from a cowoker. Tickets are $6.50. Let me know if you are interested. Laura

"I CAN!" be the difference

The Journey is partnering with Tunde and Friends this summer, praying for them helping to support them financially.

There are many ways you can help. But one thing we are ask the entire Journey to do is bring in all the cans you can—from your household, your friends, your family, anywhere—and bring them in every Friday.

We’ll cash them in and donate the money directly to Tunde and Friends Ministries.

NOTE
- Please rinse them out before bringing them.
- Any plastic bottles with "CRV" on them are also acceptable.
- You may want to redeem them yourself and simply bring in the money.
- You could also give a tax deductable gift. Write a check to Centerpoint Church and write "Tunde and Friends" in the memo.

A MESSAGE FROM TUNDE
Yes, we are putting a group together for Nigeria this summer. I will leave after school is out around July 3 and return August 22 just before resumption of the 2008/2009 school year. We are trusting God for the grace to continue to make a difference by making friends, touching hearts and changing lives as we express the love of Christ. This year, in addition to the free medical screening we intend to intensify efforts towards disability awareness in congregations and communities, making church buildings accessible by building ramps, providing wheelchairs, etc. Reaching out to high schools and colleges with the same message, we intend to introduce the Disabled Students Services program to the colleges and universities, with the aim of easing the problems students with disabilities encounter in getting into colleges, getting around while in college and graduating from college. We are also planning on introducing the "True Love Waits" service in some church congregations. These are some of the things planned for this year.

A Formula for Financial Freedom (2 of 6)

As with any great plan, we need to begin with a goal in mind. I suggest to you that the goal of budgeting is generosity. We want to be wise with our money so that we can bless others. So a good budget should lead to financial freedom—freedom from debt gives us the freedom to be generous. With that in mind, here’s what a formula for financial freedom might look like.

GENEROSITY = GROSS – (Tithe + Tax + Thrift + Tally + Treat)

Let me explain. We all know by now that money doesn’t grow on trees. The Apostle Paul’s rule was, "anyone who is unwilling to work shall not eat." Proverbs 10:4 says, “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.” The only other way I know to get money is the tooth fairy, but I haven’t lost any teeth for while. So this formula is assuming you have a job, and hopefully one that is enjoyable, fulfilling and well-paying. But, really, any job will do. This budget is adjustable to any income level. So let’s take a look at ingredients of the formula.

Gross is all the money you earn before taxes are taken out. Of course, the first thing taken from your paycheck is taxes.

Tax is all federal and state income tax, social security and medicare withheld from your paycheck. You may not be happy about paying taxes, but here’s what the Bible says in Romans 13:5-7: “Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe: If you owe taxes, pay taxes. . . .”

Tithe is 10% of your gross income (OR 10% of your net income and whatever tax refund you may get). The reason for tithing is so that you can support those who devote their time to ministering to you and help those who have no one else to help them. It also reminds you that God is your ultimate provider and teaches you to honor Him in everything. We are instructed in Proverbs 3:9-10, “Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” So the first thing you should do in budgeting is to calculate your tithe. And the first thing you should do with your money every month is pay it.

You may be new to tithing, unsure of its value or unconvinced of its necessity. If so, it’s okay to start small. You may want to start with one percent or five percent, or however much you can. But once you get started you will likely find it easier and even exciting to increase your percentage (Try a one percent increase every 3-6 months until you get to ten percent). As for Cristina and I, we have committed to increase the percentage we give to our church by one percent every year. I am confident that when we honor God in this way, He will honor us in return.

Start this month! Sit down right now with your pay stub and calculate how much you earn every month. If you get paid a regular rate twice a month, multiply what you earn in one paycheck by 2 to get your monthly gross. If you get paid every two weeks, multiply what you earn in one paycheck by 26, then divide by 12 to figure your monthly gross. Once you know your gross, multiply that by .10 to calculate your tithe (for ten percent). If you decide to start with five percent, multiply your gross by .o5. Write you check today and take it to church with you next time you are there. Make your tithe check the first check you write every month!

A Formula for Financial Freedom (part 1 of 6)

“Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.” - Proverbs 3:13-18

Wisdom is the key to blessing, and this is especially true when it comes to money. Wisdom is worth more than worldly wealth, but wisdom is the best way to build wealth.

Wealth gained without wisdom leads to worry. You may get what you want, but you end up in debt. You live paycheck to paycheck and you’re never content. So you sell all your stuff just to pay rent.

Wealth gained through wisdom leads to peace. You work hard for your money and you’re happy with life. You have all you need and blessings besides. And you won’t lose all that you have overnight.

Wisdom is the insight and foresight to do what is right. Financial wisdom helps us understand how to manage our money so that we can be debt-free, enjoy life and help others. It helps us plan ahead so that when our car breaks down, or we get sick or lose a job it’s not a devastating crisis. So I want to share with you some advice about how to handle your money wisely through a budget I’m going to call the A Formula for Financial Freedom.

John Maxell says, “a budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.” Most of my life I’ve been wondering where my money went. But over the course of the last year, in preparing for marriage and as newlyweds, Cristina and I have begun to tell our money where we want it to go.” We have not yet arrived, but we have made progress. We have had financial victories over the past year that show the process is working. Out of 5 credit cards, we have already paid off two, and will likely pay off two more by the end of the year. As far as paying for education, we have paid one student loan in full, have been making payments on the others, and been paying for my graduate school up front. I won’t owe Biola another cent once I graduate in December. So we’ve been telling our money where to go, and so far it’s working.

In the next few posts I want to outline for you the financial formula we have been following, along with a budget worksheet that I believe will help you manage your money wisely as you plan for the future.

Christian Charity

“In the passage where the New Testament says that everyone must work, it gives as a reason ‘in order that he may have something to give to those in need.’ Charity – giving to the poor – is an essential part of Christian morality: in the frightening parable of the sheep and the goats it seems to be the point on which everything turns. Some people nowadays say that charity ought to be unnecessary and that instead of giving to the poor we ought to be producing a society in which there were no poor to give to. They may be quite right in saying that we ought to produce this kind of society. But if anyone thinks that, as a consequence, you can stop giving in the meantime, then he has parted company with all Christian morality. I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charities expenditure excludes them. I am speaking now of ‘charities’ in the common way. Particular cases of distress among your own relatives, friends, neighbors or employees, which God, as it were, forces upon your notice, may demand much more: even to the crippling and endangering of your own position. For many of us the great obstacle to charity lies not in our luxurious living or desire for more money, but in our fear – fear of insecurity. This must often be recognized as a temptation. Sometimes our pride also hinders our charity; we are tempted to spend more that we ought on the showy forms of generosity (tipping, hospitality) and less than we ought on those who really need our help.”

-C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, p.86-87.

Thanks!

To All Journey Members:
Everyone has been so supportive of my finishing school, deciding to quit my job back in December, helping Rex and I move, and my current job search. We appreciate everything the group has done for us. All your efforts and prayers have been a true blessing. Many things would not have occurred, if not for your love and support.

To Cristina, Wandica, Ammie, Kat, Chris, (and whoever else may have helped):
I appreciate the efforts of you guys on Sidewalk Sundays (especially last Sunday, since I wasn't there). I'm guessing everything went well, because Shawn hasn't contacted me with complaints. It was truly a blessing to find people who were willing to run the table for me, and outreach to other young adults at Centerpoint. Keep up the good work!

To Paul:
Thanks for having the patience to deal with me during announcements. I know sometimes I lose track of what's going on, and other times I get carried away. I appreciate all your efforts to keep me on track. I know I'm not always easy to work with.

To Shawn:
Thanks for giving me this opportunity to be such a huge part of The Journey. It has been a blessing for me, because it has helped me grow spiritually and further my education. I enjoy all of the work you pass my way, and I look forward to much more activities and assignments with the group. I love working with all of these wonderful people. I hope you continue to have faith in my efforts.

To my wonderful husband, Rex:
I love you so much! Thank you for loving me, and being a part of my life. You were the one who convinced me to go to Cal Baptist, and believed in me when I doubted myself. If you hadn't prodded me, I wouldn't be graduating on Saturday! Our marriage has been a blessing, and I look forward to many more years of happiness with you. God truly has blessed us both!

To anyone who is planning on going to my graduation on Saturday:
The ceremony starts at 9am, but I recommend that you get to Cal Baptist as soon as possible, so you can find parking! The ceremony will be two hours long, so we should be done by 11am. If you would like to meet up with me after the ceremony, you can meet me at the short wall in Stamps Courtyard. To get to the courtyard, you go up the steps in front of the Yeager Center (by the waterfall), past the rotating globe in the walkway, past Wanda's (on the right), out into the courtyard. It's the short wall just before the grassy area, and there's a black marble plaque on the ground. It's not far from the front lawn, promise! If I'm not there when you find it, Rex should be. Call one of us if you get lost.

A week in the life of me...

There are so many things to do and so little time with which to do them!

I just sent in a paper that I’ve been working on, little by little for weeks. I wrote it for my Reformation and Modern Theology class. For those of you who don’t know, historical theology is my favorite intellectual hobby. I am by no means an expert, but I am learning. And I thoroughly enjoyed researching this paper about the French mathematician/physicist/apologist, Blaise Pascal and his masterpiece, the Pensées. Here’s an excerpt…

The most famous section of the Pensées is known as The Wager,[1] which argues that, “if there is a God, he is infinitely beyond our comprehension.” We cannot understand him by dividing him into systems and parts as in science. And there is no vantage point from which we can see all of God all at once. He is infinitely greater than anything we can grasp. “We are therefore incapable of knowing either what he is or whether he is,” because we could never give adequate rational grounds to prove a being infinitely beyond our rational capacities. Does God exist? “Reason cannot decide this question.” We must toss a coin. Heads, God exists. Tails, he does not. Everyone must make a choice. If you call heads and it turns out God exists, “you win everything, if you lose you lose nothing.” When the odds are even and the prize is infinite, it is a reasonable bet to make.

My preoccupation with this paper has left little time to do much else. I missed my step-father-in-law’s family reunion on Saturday to work on it. But I took a break Saturday night to map out The Journey’s summer schedule so we could discuss it at our leaders meeting on Sunday afternoon. We ended up deciding on some great ways we can be the difference this summer. Stay tuned for that. We also have an amazing Summer Sports Series IV in store in July.

Sunday, I got up to lead worship with Jess in the morning at the 10:35 service. It was Sidewalk Sunday, so we were passing out newsletters. We had our Journey leaders lunch meeting. I played bass for Remix then went home and passed out on the couch. When I came to, Cristina and I got some dinner, went grocery shopping, paid bills and called it a night.

On Monday, after sleeping in, I again got to work on my paper, cleaned up around the house, had the young men’s group at our house, helped Cristina with the laundry, and started back on my paper for way too long before getting to bed.

Tuesday, I again worked on that paper. In the evening we went to my parents’ house for dinner, after which I was working on my paper. While taking a break and playing with my pet rabbit, Buffalo (now 5 years old), I noticed a lump sort of hanging from his belly as he walked around. It didn’t seem to hurt him, but I am concerned. Cristina and I prayed for him and we have an appointment with the vet tomorrow. I was finished with my paper around midnight that night, but it was 3,000 words. My professor specifically said it should be “strictly 2,000-2,500 words.” So I went through it about 3-4 more times removing any unnecessary information. I was done by 3am.

Wednesday, I get up in time to meet a friend for lunch, and then head over to Centerpoint for an enlightening staff meeting. The rest of the afternoon I spend updating the website for the month and planning for this Friday’s Fuel. Unfortunately, due to this paper, I have not yet had time to upload most of last April’s messages for the Fuelcast. I expect to be back on top of things next week. I would have liked to update our contact list with all the new green sheets so that I can send out a newsletter, but that will have to wait until next week as well. About 5:15, I rush out to get a bite to eat and come back to rehearse two songs for Mega Wednesday. Afterwards, Cristina and I go to Target for some essentials (and dinner, after all). She give my paper one last proof read and gets ready for bed while I send it to my professor via cyberspace. I then check my grades to see my status. And it turns out that if I get an A on my paper and my final I will be okay. (Please be praying for that!) And now I am here immortalizing the writing of my paper for you.

Thursday will be devoted to even more homework, and hopefully good news at the vet, then off to La Mirada for an evening class. Then, from 9:30pm until 7pm on Friday my mind will be focused almost exclusively on Fuel and making it happen.

On Friday, Fuel will happen. We will worship together. I will preach. And I will likely have the pleasure of hanging out with you all until late.

Saturday, Marla graduates, Chris BBQ’s and Evan turns 30-something.

Sunday will be our last 10:35 service (so come say farewell). I’d like to go to the Greek festival at the Orthodox Church for lunch and maybe a church tour (we’ll see). Then it’s back to Centerpoint for another amazing time of worship!

And that is a week in the life of me. I just wrote over 1,000 words in a relatively short period of time. I don’t know why 3,000 were so difficult for me this time around, but it was. There was a lot of background to learn and a lot of information to synthesize. In the end, I’m a little smarter for having done it. I am blessed to be getting a degree for studying what I love to learn and would read about anyway. I am humbled to be able to serve God alongside such amazing young adults. And I am in wonder at the support of a wife who loves me through it all. God is good! I am tired. Goodnight.


[1] Pascal, Pensees, 121-125.